Category Archives: duplex

Making it Happen FAST – 32 Properties in 32 Months



Erika Spencer and husband Jay, now both realtors and investors, discovered an interest in real estate investing and made their first moves in 2015, with rent to own properties and then family rentals. They scaled fast, leveraging joint ventures and completing 32 property investments in 32 months!

Guest: Erika Spencer, Real Estate Investor / Realtor

Erika Spencer and husband Jay, now both realtors and investors, discovered an interest in real estate investing and made their first moves in 2015, with rent to own properties and then family rentals. They scaled fast, leveraging joint ventures and completing 32 property investments in 32 months!

Their portfolio now consists of 26 properties with 90% of them being brick bungalows with basement apartments or the capacity to develop them and rather than rapid growth they tend to advocate their coaching clients to build more steadily.

Their investing journey started in St. Catharines and as the Niagara Region has boomed they have tried to stay ahead of the growth curve by looking beyond, investing in Welland, Port Colbourne and also Hamilton.

Erika was nominated as Rising Star of the Year by the Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine in 2017.  Her focus is now currently building a 4-plex on a severed lot which was possible after buying a bakery.  She is looking to get involved more in small and then larger multi-family investments and likely seeing herself getting involved in private lending.

With so many lessons learned in her real estate career to date, Erika has found her experience, knowledge and just do it motto has attracted newer real estate investors who she now coaches and helps find their own journey to success. You will learn about: – Scaling your business fast and the downsides – Lessons learned and mistakes made along the way – Structuring your JV deals and finding a good JV partner – Setting up corporations, pros and cons – From Bakery to a 4-Plex!

Get in touch with Erika: Email: erika@rockstarbrokerage.com Niagara REI MeetUp https://www.meetup.com/St-Catharines-Real-Estate-Investment-Club/

“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of the following;

Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages.

Contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis – be sure to mention the podcast when you call.

DALIA BARSOUM, MBA Finance President and Principal Broker, Streetwise Mortgages

Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255

Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900

An award-winning Mortgage Broker, Real Estate investor and financial advisor with over 20 years experience in the banking sector, spanning: Wealth Management, Lending, Strategy and Real Estate.

Dalia holds an MBA in Finance from Dalhousie University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers Association.

She is the author of Canada’s best selling Real Estate Financing Book and an Amazon Best Seller: “Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All the Money You Want”.

Dalia’s lending practice encompasses:

> Strategies: Buy / Hold, Renovations, Construction Financing, Rent to own, and Student Rentals, Flipping, Land development and private lending > Structures: Corporations, Joint Ventures and Personal Holdings > Asset Classes: Residential, multi-residential, Commercial, Mixed-use and Land

Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ]

Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900

Dylan Suitor of Elevation Realty

Helping a personal record number of families so far this year, I am totally dedicated to offering my “Industry Best” expertise in residential real estate for clients in the Niagara, Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton area. I believe in assisting my clients in every endeavour whether buying a new dream home or selling your latest strategic residential business investment.

By upholding a 0% contract cancellation rate I strive to guarantee your satisfaction by utilizing an extensive knowledge of property renovation and vast network of industry contacts. I will facilitate my customer’s every desire while smoothening the real estate transaction when marketing your properties far and wide.

My team of qualified and totally committed real estate agents will get the job done right! By honing my team of agent’s real estate matching skills through continuous education and professional development, I maintain a competitive edge for the individuals and families we work with.  I can safely say that I can ensure that my customers receive the best price for their home; prices they deserve.  More importantly, I listen to all my client’s wishes to only deliver those properties that match their needs.

With more than a decade of continuously improving performance and results in successfully helping clients, I have offered the ultimate customer service strategies, met all key goals and deadlines for clients, and negotiated for my clients real winning results.  My team of agents have all committed to doing the same.

So here is my promise to you:

“ I guarantee an awesome experience while locating and negotiating the best real estate deal for you, and then I can confidently coordinate your whole moving experience to ensure a stress-free real estate transition. I do this by truly listening to my client’s needs and dreams to help those dreams come true.  This is my promise to you!”

Call me today at (905) 592-4220 for a free strategy session to discuss your heartfelt real estate needs.”

Elevation Realty Network

Direct: 905-407-4289

Office: 905-844-7788


From Retirement Panic to HGTV Star & Retiring 20 Years Early



Monica Mayorga is a successful real estate investor since 2011 investing in multiple markets for profit by implementing strategies such as re-purposed dwellings, long flips, the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance and repeat), joint venture partnerships and student rentals.

Guest: Monica Mayorga, Real Estate Investor & Retirement Specialist Monica Mayorga is a successful real estate investor since 2011 investing in multiple markets for profit by implementing strategies such as re-purposed dwellings, long flips, the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance and repeat), joint venture partnerships and student rentals.

Monica was previously employed with an international pharmaceutical company as a Pension and Benefits Specialist. When a financial tool was introduced to help the staff determine if their retirement plans were on track, Monica decided to explore it first before introducing it to staff. According to the financial calculator, Monica and husband Raphael were not saving enough to retire the way they wanted. In fact, she would have to continue working part-time during their retirement years.

The terrifying news caused Monica to hit what she calls “her panic button”. She immediately contacted her husband and sold him on the idea to create wealth through real estate investing. Although her husband was on board, he was skeptical and even added a challenge that he wanted their first investment to be a small multi-family property, a triplex.

Together they found a rundown triplex in Toronto in an upcoming neighbourhood that was underperforming. Funds were tight and the entire building needed renovations. That’s when Monica wrote to Scott McGillivray, host of HGTV Income Property, asking for help on their first project. Low and behold help was graciously provided, not only with renovations but also with knowledge on what it takes to be a great landlord and the business of real estate investing.

Monica’s first experience gave her the tools to transition from working countless hours in a corporate job to retiring 20 years earlier and becoming a Retirement Specialist travelling the world. You will learn about: – Investment strategy tips and refinancing – Project cost, numbers and processes – Scaling up your business – Private financing

Get in touch with Monica: E-mail: monica.buildingitright@gmail.com


Juggling Properties and Roles as a Busy Investor



Brian Fitzgerald is a firefighter, real estate agent as well as a real estate investor for the last 6 years in the Hamilton & Niagara area.

Guest: Brian Fitzgerald, Real Estate Investor & Realtor

Brian Fitzgerald is a firefighter, real estate agent as well as a real estate investor for the last 6 years in the Hamilton & Niagara area. Brians start in investing began when he decided to tackle a couple of flips on the Hamilton Mountain. Having only been a handyman, Brian jumped in headfirst and learned many valuable lessons along the way and came out with vast experiences in the renovation and contracting world – he also came out with much less hair after the experiences. Since then Brian has focused his strategy to more Buy & Hold investments, with current plans to jump back into the renovations and getting his hands dirty with the BRRRR strategy. His experience with home buying, renovations, dealing with contractors, and being a landlord himself are also a large benefit to the investor clients he serves as a Realtor. His easy-going approach with clients and his knowledge of renovation practices and expenses make him an absolute asset to any investor that he works with.

When it comes to the management side of his properties, Brian’s biggest asset is his ability to find the best tenants and put them into his A+ properties. His property management company, Fitzgerald PM, also serves many of his investor clients that choose to be hands-off with their real estate investments. His portfolio currently consists of duplexes, single-family rentals as well as a recreational property on the water which makes Brian a really experienced and well-rounded investor as well as Realtor. You will learn about: – The pros and cons of making deals – How to find off-market deals – Managing time when having more than one job role – Managing your portfolio

Books Mentioned: The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It’s Not About the Money…It’s About Being the Best You Can Be! by Book by Dave Jenks, Gary W. Keller, and Jay Papasan

How to Win Friends and Influence People Paperback by Dale Carnegie

Get in touch with Brian: Website: www.brianfitzgerald.ca / www.fitzgeraldpm.ca E-mail: brian@brianfitzgerald.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehomethatfitz/ Instagram: @thehomethatfitz The ‘Real Estate Investors Lounge’ Podcast: @reilpodcast


From Auto Mechanic to Becoming The Vertical Split Genius



Ryan Carr is a full-time real estate investor from the Durham Region who specializes in helping homeowners get out of tough situations. His company, R.W. Carr Investments, has completed dozens of transactions with people across the GTA where debt, timing, maintenance, and repairs, or family nuances are a critical component to the deal.

Guest: Ryan Carr, Real Estate Investor, Speaker & Mentor

Ryan Carr is a full-time real estate investor from the Durham Region who specializes in helping homeowners get out of tough situations. His company, R.W. Carr Investments, has completed dozens of transactions with people across the GTA where debt, timing, maintenance, and repairs, or family nuances are a critical component to the deal.

Prior, Ryan was an auto mechanic and custom metal fabricator and his involvement with real estate began in 2012 with a rural bank-sale property, quickly followed by a series of deals including buy and holds, fix and flips, multi-family and new construction. The progression from these initial properties and subsequent resale led to fantastic experiences that propelled the concept of “vertical split” homes into the marketplace. The most interesting deal was a coach house that got national exposure on the news.

With a primary focus on the vertical split technique (A clever method of adding 2nd units to existing homes) Ryan has found as home values began to rise in the Durham Region, the cash flow crunch became the mainstream, which transformed the housing industry in two ways. The first being a solution to covering monthly expenses on properties, and the second being outside investor interest. His business focuses on purchasing properties from homeowners in sticky situations quickly and quietly.

Ryan is also involved in partnership opportunities, mentorship programs, and speaking engagements. He continues to innovate the industry with residential real estate purchases, coaching, new construction techniques, JV Partnerships, flipping, and small scale development. The purchasing of residential real estate has become his true passion and not just a business endeavour. You will learn about: – The importance of teamwork – Strategies to scale up your business – Taking deals and financing – Mistakes to avoid – Tips on buying properties

Books Mentioned: Winner Takes All: How Casino Mogul Steve Wynn Won and Lost the High Stakes Gamble to Own Las Vegas by Christina Binkley

Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn Paperback by John L. Smith

Get in touch with Ryan: Website: https://rwcarrinvestment.com Email: info@rwcarrinvestment.com


Scaling to 200+ Doors in One Year



Dylan Suitor is an entrepreneur to the core! He first got involved in real estate investing when his mum helped him buy a student rental property that he lived in and managed whilst at University. The real estate investing bug had bitten him and he went on to invest in some new builds, a flip then a multi-family conversion.

Guest:  Dylan Suitor, Real Estate Investor & Realtor

Dylan Suitor is an entrepreneur to the core! He first got involved in real estate investing when his mum helped him buy a student rental property that he lived in and managed whilst at University. The real estate investing bug had bitten him and he went on to invest in some new builds, a flip then a multi-family conversion.

Two years ago Dylan met his mentor and now business partner who supported and showed him the way to really scale up his portfolio significantly to now over 70 properties. Last year he added 66 properties with 215 doors. His growth is based on legally maximizing each building that local by-laws allow.

One of the principal reasons he attributes his success is to investing in himself, mindset and being willing to make adjustments along the way. With more than a decade of continuously improving performance and results, he offers the ultimate customer service in meeting all key goals and deadlines for his clients and negotiating real winning results. Dylan is totally dedicated to offering his “Industry Best” expertise in residential real estate for clients in the Toronto, Oakville, Burlington and Milton areas. Whether buying a new dream home or selling their latest strategic residential business investment Dylan believes in helping his clients every step of the way.

You will learn about: – Setting goals and scaling up your business – Multi-Family Conversion – How to find a power team – Time Management insights – Tips on closing deals

Event Link: https://realestategrowthsummit.ca

Use coupon code SarahLarbi to get $50 off!

Book Mentioned: The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan, Dave Jenks

Get in touch with Dylan: Direct Email: dylansuitor@gmail.com Business Email: dylan@elevationrealty.ca / info@elevationrealty.ca Website: https://www.elevationrealty.ca Phone Number: 905-592-4220

“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages. contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis.

DALIA BARSOUM, MBA Finance  President and Principal Broker, Streetwise Mortgages

Best selling Author: Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All The Money You Want 

Winner of the Outstanding Customer Service Award: CMP

Top 75 Brokers in Canada ( 2017 and 2018): Canadian Mortgage Professionals Magazine ( CMP)

Mortgage Broker of the year (2017, 2015): Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine

Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ] Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900.


How to Cash Flow Properties in Expensive Markets



Nam Phung arrived in Canada from a refugee camp in 1987, starting high school in Canada speaking very little English and worked part-time to support himself through high school and university.  His formal education includes a degree from York University in Business Administration Studies with a Major in Accounting and his career was spent as a Senior Accountant and Financial Analyst before becoming a full-time investor.
Guest:  Nam Phung, Real Estate Investor Nam Phung arrived in Canada from a refugee camp in 1987, starting high school in Canada speaking very little English and worked part-time to support himself through high school and university.  His formal education includes a degree from York University in Business Administration Studies with a Major in Accounting and his career was spent as a Senior Accountant and Financial Analyst before becoming a full-time investor. He started investing in real estate 13 years ago and focuses on multi-unit properties ideally with 4 up to 12 units in higher-end sub-markets in Toronto, with a current portfolio of a dozen properties valued at over $15 million.  His two more recent investments have been an 11 unit property and also a cottage which he has on Air BnB and enjoys himself. Nam has found his key to successful investing in expensive markets is closely managing the construction, ongoing property management and maintenance and be sure to maintain good relationships with suppliers, the trades as well as his tenants.  Nam has helped a number of his fellow accountants get into real estate investing and also holds a real estate license with Keller Williams in Mississauga. You will learn about: – Toronto market insights – Cap rate, financing and cash flow insights – Tips on finding and financing a property – Some common investor mistakes Get in touch with Nam: Email: namphung@sympatico.ca
“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages. contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis. DALIA BARSOUM, MBA Finance  President and Principal Broker, Streetwise Mortgages Best selling Author: Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All The Money You Want  Winner of the Outstanding Customer Service Award: CMP Top 75 Brokers in Canada ( 2017 and 2018): Canadian Mortgage Professionals Magazine ( CMP) Mortgage Broker of the year (2017, 2015): Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ] Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900.

Innovative Approaches to Finding Money Partners and Deals



After training as an international professional athlete for 15 years Sarah Eder took the first steps in real estate by helping a highly successful property management investor manage over 150 doors. This investor was also a master at joint ventures so when Sarah was not in a position to get her own mortgages she still had the confidence and knowledge to be able to raise over 7-figures in real estate investments in a little over 3 years.

Guest: Real Estate Investor, Sarah Eder

After training as an international professional athlete for 15 years Sarah Eder took the first steps in real estate by helping a highly successful property management investor manage over 150 doors. This investor was also a master at joint ventures so when Sarah was not in a position to get her own mortgages she still had the confidence and knowledge to be able to raise over 7-figures in real estate investments in a little over 3 years.

Now as the owner of Sarah Eder Investments, she is using a more complicated joint venture approach to not only focus on more traditional 50/50 flips, but also multi-family properties and larger-scale developments and commercial conversions that require more than one JV partner.

With the mind of a savvy, socially connected millennial she uses an innovative approach in looking at the real estate investing world differently than most and is able to find 50% of her JV deals through social media, where she is very active. Now a full-time investor, coach, and mentor, when not developing innovative ways to raise capital, she is mentoring others on how to successfully use joint ventures. She has been on multiple stages speaking about these topics and her success has been recently featured in Canadian Real Estate Wealth magazine.

You will learn about: – Tips on structuring deals – What is VTB (Vendor Take Back) Mortgage – Raising capital tips and strategies – How to find money partners and deals and what you need to know

Get in touch with Sarah: Website: www.saraheder.com Email: sarah@saraheder.com Social media tags: @sarahederinvest

“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages. contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis – be sure to mention the podcast!  Read more about Dalia by clicking here.

DALIA BARSOUM , MBA Finance 
President and Principal Broker , Streetwise Mortgages
Best selling Author : 
Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All The Money You Want 

Winner of the Outstanding Customer Service Award : CMP

Top 75 Brokers in Canada ( 2017 and 2018)  :  
Canadian Mortgage Professionals Magazine ( CMP) 

Mortgage Broker of the year ( 2017 , 2015 ) :
Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine

[Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | 
Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ]
Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON , L4H 2T4 | License # 12900


How to Increase BRRRR Cash Flow By Expanding Single Homes to Multi-Family Units



Elizabeth Milder is the co-owner of Expansion Properties, a real estate investment firm based in Victoria, BC. Expansion Properties currently has 11 units under management and are in the process of building 2 new single-family homes that will be ready to sell around June 2019, a first for the company.

Guest: Real Estate Investor, Elizabeth Milder

Elizabeth Milder is the co-owner of Expansion Properties, a real estate investment firm based in Victoria, BC. Expansion Properties currently has 11 units under management and are in the process of building 2 new single-family homes that will be ready to sell around June 2019, a first for the company.

Elizabeth and her partner in life and business Cole have become experts in the application of the BRRRR method (Buy, Renovate, Rent, ReFinance, Repeat) and identifying properties with the potential for adding additional square footage, By converting single-family homes to multi-unit rentals (2,3 and 4 units) they can significantly add to the property value and cash-flow.

With her passion for entrepreneurialism and a desire to encourage other women to realize the power of real estate investing, Elizabeth has recently started a VLOG called Queens of Expansion. Through Queens, Elizabeth leverages her relationships in the real estate industry, interviewing other successful women investors/developers, to offer insight and encouragement to would-be investors

You will learn about: – Insights on property conversions – The process of converting properties – Key people to have on your team – Insights for doing joint venture projects – Tips on financing your projects

Get in Touch with Elizabeth: Website:https://www.expansionproperties.com E-mail:elizabeth@expansionproperties.com Facebook:facebook.com/queensofexpansion/ Other social media @queensofexpansion

“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages. contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis – be sure to mention the podcast!  Read more about Dalia by clicking here.

DALIA BARSOUM, MBA Finance  President and Principal Broker, Streetwise Mortgages Bestselling Author : Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All The Money You Want 

Winner of the Outstanding Customer Service Award: CMP Top 75 Brokers in Canada ( 2017 and 2018)  : Canadian Mortgage Professionals Magazine ( CMP) Mortgage Broker of the year (2017, 2015 ) : Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine

[Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ] Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900


Lessons and Benefits of Focusing on One Market to Grow Your Real Estate Portfolio



Tyler Soulliere is an award-winning real estate investor born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. After obtaining his MBA at Northwood University in Michigan he returned to the city to follow a business career and working in the family business. After the business was acquired by a Fortune 500 company Tyler decided to pursue a career as a realtor initially in Toronto to be mentored by one of the top RE/MAX producers. On returning to Windsor he started to work with real estate investors taking the opportunity to learn before taking the plunge with his own fixer-upper for $48k. In the next 11 months, he purchased another 14 properties, which resulted in his being awarded the Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine National Investor of the Year in 2015 from over 1,000 candidates. As Tyler continued to expand his experience and portfolio, which now stands at 55 doors, he wanted to start sharing his knowledge of investing in real estate with other like-minded individuals. As a result, he has created online training courses as well as launching TySoull Educator to help share his expertise and lessons learned with investors looking to invest in real estate. You will learn about: – The opportunities, growth and boom in the Windsor Market. – Importance of building a power team when scaling your business. – Real estate terms new and experienced investors need to know. – Why numbers matter, especially when buying multi-units. Book Recommended: Flip by Gary Keller
Get in Touch with Tyler: Website: http://tysoulleducator.com
Get a copy of Sarah’s brand new “Market Fundamentals Worksheet” that she mentions in the podcast –  click here to grab your copy.
“Where Should I Invest” is brought to you in part through the sponsorship and support of Dalia Barsoum of Streetwise Mortgages. contact her to book a FREE Goals Analysis.
DALIA BARSOUM, MBA Finance 
President and Principal Broker, Streetwise Mortgages
Best selling Author: Canadian Real Estate Investor Financing: 7 Secrets to Getting All The Money You Want 
Winner of the Outstanding Customer Service Award: CMP
Top 75 Brokers in Canada ( 2017 and 2018): Canadian Mortgage Professionals Magazine ( CMP)
Mortgage Broker of the year (2017, 2015): Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine
[Direct: 416-985-4698 | www.streetwisemortgages.com | Toll Free & Fax: 1-800-208-6255 ]
Mail:  53 Berry Trail, Woodbridge, ON, L4H 2T4 | License # 12900.

Episode 23- What to Look for & What to Avoid With Basement Conversions



In this episode of Where Should I Invest the Podcast, we interview Ken Bekendam from my favourite investment city of Brantford Ontario. Ken Bekendam is a full-time Real Estate Investor and expert in basement conversions.
Listen and learn about. . .
– How to successfully complete a basement conversion
– What to look for and pitfalls to avoid
– What the numbers look like
– How to get permits and approvals
– Hear about how Ken was able to grow his portfolio
And so much more. . .

To get a hold of Ken, reach out to him directly on Facebook by searching Ken Bekendam or meet him in person at the next REITE Club meeting as he is a regular attendee.

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